Starting loads 6x47 Lapua and RL16

[boltfluter]

Need a good place to start and possibly a max load. Will be trying RL16 in my 6x47 lapua with a 105 Berger VLD. Need a load for winter shooting and hunting.
Running CCI450 primers. Thanks for any and all help.

Paul

 

[arm017]

38.0 gr RL16
105 Hybrid 15 thou off touch
CCI 450s
3030 FPS in a TX swamp

 

[ShootDots]

Hello Paul! As you are aware, there are many variables that can determine what may be a "max-load" in your rifle and a "Max-load" in someone else' rifle. Do you have a .236 bore or a .237? How close to the .237 bore is your actual bore? What is your freebore? Let's assume you have a .237 barrel with a .135 freebore. You are shooting the 105 Berger VLD. H4350 and RL-16 are within a hairsbreath of each other. You might need 0.3grs less powder with the RL-16. Assuming our dimensions are like yours, 40.0grs of H4350 is well within pressure tolerances. So you should be able to safely go to about 39.5 with RL-16. If your dimensions are tighter than that, you should reduce your loads accordingly..

 

[steve123]

Yeah, and throating, throat that bullet above the neck/shoulder junction.

I'd start at 38 and end when the powder crunches. Do a ladder past 300Y, on a clam morning, let the barrel cool between shots. If the bolt gets sticky stop and pull the bullets when you get home. Might want to measure your extractor grooves too, those x47l cases handle pressure like no other so pressure signs are deceptive.

Low node gives better barrel life, high node less, but lower ES in my experience.

Be aware that the throat erodes quickly with the nastly 6x47L, which is why I don't shoot vlds in mine anymore, plan on tuning every 400 rounds if you want to keep with that bullet. Hybrids, SMK's and DTACS are what I've had the best luck with. I'm going back to the 115 DTACS and a 7.5 twist again, which did me well in a long range series I won.